Siege of Xiapi (184)

The Siege of Xiapi occurred in 184 AD during the Yellow Turban Rebellion. The Yellow Turban army, commanded by Zhang Liang, surrounded Xiapi Castle, which was defended by Huangfu Song. The generals Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei, who contributed forces to the suppression of the uprising, assisted in the relief of the castle.

Gao Sheng besieged the southern gate of the castle, where he battled Liu Bei; Sun Jian faced Guan Hai in the east, and Cao Cao faced Deng Mao in the west. Liu Bei's volunteer forces defeated Gao Sheng before reinforcing Cao Cao's army, and the combined forces defeated Deng Mao. Zhang Liang, sensing that the tide of the battle was turning against him, decided to use his sorcery to summon rain storms to flood the castle's defenses. Huangfu Song was unintimidated by the rain storms, and he decided to join the battle; however, He Yi and several Yellow Turbans appeared in the mist and attacked the castle's garrison. Liu Bei ignored this threat and advanced north, where he sought to slay Zhang Liang. He defeated Zhang Mancheng, and he advanced on to attack Zhang Liang, who summoned geysers to blast the advancing Han troops. However, Liu Bei succeeded in striking down Zhang Liang, who, wounded, fled the battlefield, ending the siege of Xiapi. Thanks to his victory, Liu Bei's name spread, and he became known as a "Hero of the People". In response, the Yellow Turbans took up a defensive position within Zhang Ba's fortress in hopes of repelling any other Imperial Army attacks.